Can't say too much without spoiling, but I can say that the story continues at an almost furious pace as Lyra and Malcolm and Pantalaimon pursue their own dangerous adventures. The book ends on a cliff-hanger and I have to say I cannot barely wait for the third volume which, it is rumored, will appear this year. Totally absorbing, worthy continuation of His Dark Materials. ***** ( )

I wavered for a long time about whether to give this 4 or 5. I felt The Secret Commonwealth was definitely better than La Belle Sauvage, but it was a question of by how much.

It was a great feeling to come back to Lyra, even though the Lyra in this book is very different to the one we left at the end of His Dark Materials. I felt the character progression was very much believable - having gone through adolescence and education at a leading university, she is understandably a much more rational, sceptical young lady. However, she is still definitely haunted by her 13 year old self, both in terms of her experiences and through Pan, who continues to reflect her true character.

One of the strongest themes of the book was this exploration of the relationships between daemons and their humans, in light of them being separate beings but manifestations of the same spirit. The allusions to soul-searching, self-doubt and even mental illness were well thought out, and showed daemons as much more complex than natural spiritual counterparts. The conflict between rationalism and imagination, although sometimes a little pushed, was also engagingly addressed, and it was especially interesting to see it play out in Lyra's world where the fantastical and the extraordinary are much more apparent and ‘real’. The political maneuvering and machinations were intriguing too, and the continuation of tensions and issues from both La Belle Sauvage and His Dark Materials combined with Pullman's masterful weaving of the different story threads made it quite immersive.

I think the difficulty with The Secret Commonwealth is a combination of its length combined with its status as the middle book in the trilogy. The suspense gradually builds towards the second half of the book as Lyra’s problems spiral into the wider world, and with Pan's disconnection and also Malcolm's acts of espionage, the plot expands significantly. However, while there are many episodic climaxes and thrilling moments, there's no culmination or denouement, nothing that ultimately ties the plot together. This isn't helped by the cliffhanger ending, which though dramatic, left me feeling thoroughly unsatisfied. Given the tone of the book, which grows progressively darker, and it's not inconsiderable amount of pages, the lack of resolution left a bitter aftertaste. There's also the questionable Malcolm/Lyra coupling and the violent scene towards the end that was bound to cause discomfort, but many have picked at those already.

Ultimately, I think this was a difficult book for Pullman to write. On the one hand, he is returning to a fan-beloved character and world, both of which provide some easy familiarity. On the other hand, he has to introduce struggles and conflicts for both the world and the character that are somehow more complex and intense than the previous series where multiple worlds and universes were at stake. The result is a fantasy semi-thriller with a hint of grimdark seasoning, a YA adventure that wants to be a philosophical action drama. While on the whole it works very well, taking me on an intellectually gripping and well-crafted ride, it never really got me to a destination. Let's hope the next book shows us where that is. ( )

Once again, I'm in for a long wait to finish an epic fantasy series. Warning: this book ends on a cliffhanger. Philip Pullman has a place in my prayers next to RBG.

I'm especially anxious to find out if he's going to bring Will back in book three. My guess is no, but I hold some small hope. I'm not sure how I feel about Lyra and Malcolm. ( )

While [b:La Belle Sauvage|34128219|La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust, #1)|Philip Pullman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1498930382l/34128219._SX50_.jpg|14190696] was a HDM prequel following 11 year old Malcolm as he rescues baby Lyra, The Secret Commonwealth takes place twenty years after LBS and seven after The Amber Spyglass. Lyra is 20, and she and Pantalaimon have had a falling out due to her growing skepticism and loss of wonder.

I felt like there were some solid slights at the 'rationalist' types (was reminded of Dawkins and his ilk with Talbot), and given the perception that HDM is anti-religious, I found that interesting.

Like the first Book of Dust, The Secret Commonwealth also describes an attempted sexual assault and I don't feel like it was necessary.

This book ends on a cliffhanger, which felt like it quickly came to (honestly though, how did some of the characters physically make it to [end location]??) so I feel a little whiplashed.

Overall I liked it, but would like the finale of this story. ( )

This is enjoyable but ultimately is the middle of a trilogy so feels a bit incomplete. It jumps forward significantly (from La Belle Sauvage) to Lyra as an adult student at Oxford, slowly finding out more about the events of that book. We learn a lot more about daemons and their connection to humans, and the action moves across Europe and Asia, but it goes on too long and ends a bit abruptly. Looking forward to the final section though. ( )